Colonie town justice primary hinges on one vote

Just one vote separates the top vote-getters for the second Independence line on the ballot for Colonie town justice.

The results from the Tuesday, Sept. 15 primary, though still unofficial, show Democrat Stanley Segal in the lead with 147 votes. Behind him are Republican Andrew Sommers with 105 votes, Democrat Frederick Altman with 104 votes, and Republican Norman Massry with 91 votes. Primary voters could choose two candidates out of four in the primary election, to run on the Independence Party lines in November.

A recount was held Friday, Sept. 18 at Memorial Town Hall, but results are still unofficial until all absentee ballots have come in. According to Albany County Board of Elections Commissioner John Graziano, of the 20 absentee ballots that were sent out, 10 have been returned as of Thursday, Sept. 17.

Absentee ballots will not be opened until Wednesday, Sept. 23, after The Spotlight goes to print.

On Tuesday, there was a glitch with some of the ballots, Graziano said. Particularly, the ballots that were voted on using the electronic machines, which asked that voters choose one candidate instead of two for the Independence lines. Graziano said the situation was corrected immediately.

On Wednesday, Sept. 16, Albany County Independence Party Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the state Independence Party Paul Caputo said he was pleased so many people came out to participate in the election.

We had a great turnout, and again, that's why we have primaries, he said. "A lot of people dislike primaries, but primaries are a great way to take a temperature of your membership."

In June, the Independence Party endorsed Segal and Massry, however, the other candidates received enough petition signatures to force a primary. Wednesday, Caputo said the party was "obviously overjoyed about Stan Segal winning," but that it is still too close to call which other candidate would walk away with the Independence line.